Does methanol extraction avoid waxes?

Does anyone have a link to that list of solvents and their various affinities to cannabinoids? I cant remember where I found it.

So… Since methanol is the strongest I’ve been going about this in the wrong order? I should do a heptane extract, then a small part of methanol, and the methanol would likely come out saturated with cannabinoids?

1 Like

190 PROOF ETHANOL AND HEPTANE ARE INMISCIBLE!!! Heptane works with either methanol or 190 proof ethanol

3 Likes

Immiscible huh. So what about that 5% heptane denatured ethanol that’s being sold everywhere.

2 Likes

Go read about what photon says about it. It seperates:)

1 Like

Theres a whole thead explaining how it splits into 3 layers and all that

2 Likes

This one?

1 Like

Yes that one

1 Like

Wrong again sir. That thread shows it separates in the presence of water. And even in that case, the ethanol dominant layer still contains 9% heptane.

5 Likes

Read the thread. He talks about how as soon as you open the container it seperates. Alcohol absorbes water from the air which i know you know.

1 Like

Well first of all I’ve used that product and “as soon as you open it” is a big exaggeration. The azeotrope is attained when there is about 6% water. So really what you would like to say is that basically 190 proof ethanol is immiscible with heptane. 200 proof ethanol is infinitely miscible with heptane. Ethanol may have a tendency to pull in water, but anyone interested can take measures to prevent that long before it gets to 6% or even 1%, if it is worth it to you. There are certainly people in diverse industries buying 200 proof for a reason, and they are keeping the water out one way or another.

Even that is not correct though. The heptane phase contains 5% ethanol, and the ethanol phase contains 9% heptane. So if you put 94% ethanol and heptane in a separatory funnel, there will indeed be mixing between them, it is just incomplete miscibility.

3 Likes

Heres a pic of 200 proof ethanol straight from the barrel and some heptane.

Looks inmiscible to me.

Maybe my ethanol has some water in it, its only from the air though

1 Like

That is interesting. I did that before and got contrary results. When I get in a lab I will try it again.

3 Likes

Ive uses the ethanol denatured with heptane too, even cryo it tends to pull chloraphyll because of its attraction to water, thats why i believe what photon says. Ive witnessed it first hand with the ethos 6 and that solvent, even fresh solvent that had never been used pulled some green. We were in the high desert where its humid, the only thing i could think of that would cause that is the water

2 Likes

My barrels open though, try it with an unopened

1 Like

I don’t disagree that that happens. It probably only takes one extraction to start enough water pickup for phase issues. But an unopened container of denatured ethanol is not biphasic. I mean you can see that yourself easy enough.

4 Likes

It has to be moisture from the air then, its fresh ethanol but the barrels been opened

2 Likes

Entirely hypothetical; if you had equal parts methanol and heptane + oleo and mixed them. You’d eventually end up with a mixture with cannabinoids favouring the methanol. I’m wondering about wax affinity now.

I’d guess the heptane would have a higher wax affinity because of the non-polar-ness? I’m lightly curious if there’s a dewaxing potential in here somewhere.

It should be obvious that the waxes will favor the alkane over the alcohol. I think there could be some potential to remove a significant portion of the waxes with this step but winterization may still be necessary. I havnt tried so im not entirely sure.

Hypothetically if youre using methanol to extract cannabinoids from a crude extract dissolved in heptane/hexane most of the lipid type compounds would stay in the heptane/hexane. I base this assumption on the known fact that heptane/hexane have a very strong affinity and very large capacity to dissolve fats and oil whereas methanol has a very weak affinity for waxy compounds and probably oily lipids as well but a very strong affinity for cannabinoids.

3 Likes

Oh man I’m excited for some experiments on Monday. Found some cheaper heptane :smiley:

2 Likes

If I wanted to get more empirical on affinities and polarity what kind of numbers/info/units/science should I be studying?